A girl next to me at the grocery store the other day had on the cutest yellow dress. She’d braided her hair in an intricate crown around her head and her winged eyeliner was on point. In short, she looked awesome. Four seconds into our wait, she smiled at her phone and snapped a selfie. The guy behind her rolled his eyes and may have even muttered something about the growing narcissism of the “selfie generation.” I mean, I didn’t exactly hear him, but he totally looked grumpy enough.
It’s an observation I’ve heard and read about a lot lately. Some people equate selfies with being vain and narcissistic. Given the way these articles talk about people snapping pictures of their faces all day, it’s easy to see why selfies are associated with the self-absorbed. But people who frown every time they see someone take a picture of themselves are missing the point.
…cries of narcissism lurk in the comments section…
Taking a selfie and sharing it is, first and foremost, an act of self-love. It’s a moment you wanted to preserve, a day you felt confidence in your appearance. Group selfies capture close friendships—quite literally, with everyone crowding to get in frame. Solo selfies capture happiness and self-confidence. Call me crazy, but these sound like feelings worth celebrating.
Posting a selfie on social media is the traditional next step. Here again, cries of narcissism and vanity lurk in the comments section. By sharing a moment in which you felt confident, you pass on a message of confidence to your friends and followers. And don’t stop at your own selfies. Appreciating the beauty that others feel in themselves is just as important. My best friends are gorgeous and live far away: their selfies never fail to brighten my mood. Let the moments when other women felt good inspire you to see beauty in others. It can only lead to seeing beauty in yourself.
Taking a selfie and sharing it is, first and foremost, an act of self-love.
Sharing selfies does more than just give you a confidence boost, though. By papering the Internet with mostly unedited images of women, the selfie trend is the first step in reversing what Photoshopped advertisements have done.
Instead of preying on women’s insecurities, selfies thrive on our confidence. The influx of women feeling good and sharing the feeling with their friends spreads a positive message across a medium traditionally used for body shaming. It’s the first step towards tossing aside Photoshopped beauty ideals and embracing self-confidence instead.
The best way to contribute to the movement is to take genuine selfies in moments when you feel beautiful or happy. Don’t self-objectify by Photoshopping or hyper-sexualizing your selfies to match magazine models. Don’t use selfies to get likes and combat your insecurity. It is possible to go overboard, so make sure that you’re not flooding your Instagram or letting selfie-snapping take over every moment. Instead, make sure that every selfie you take and share is one that celebrates a feeling of happiness, confidence, and love. Enjoying those moments is the first step to building more happiness, confidence, and love in every aspect of your life.
Make sure that every selfie you take and share is one that celebrates a feeling of happiness, confidence, and love.
Selfies are hardly a new trend: people have been getting in front of cameras for a long time (and, before the camera, commissioning portraits of themselves). But never has it been more important. Those who cry “Narcissist!” when they see someone holding their phone out at arm’s length and smiling don’t understand the importance of the movement. It’s more than just the moment you feel cute, though that is the foundation. It’s about spreading self-love and celebrating the beauty in you. What could be more worthwhile than that?
What prompts you to take a selfie and share it?
Growing up i noticed it was mainly ‘good looking’ people that were this Self Obsessed with image etc, However, today it is like a rampant Demon has been unleashed on everyone’s minds, destroying any thoughts of modesty/humility. Regardless of how appealing one is to the ‘audiences’ eyes.
i take a lot of selfies but not usually on camera roll, more on snapchat lol! and i think it’s okay to take a lot of selfies when you look cute! ?
being confident is AWESOME, posting 5 selfies a day… not so much. there’s nothing vain in that!
I love selfies. When you think about it in the past they literally hired people to do big ass paintings of them so how is it any different ?
Yes – its not the unattractive, fat or skinny people who are going to be taking selfies all the time? Deffinitely a behavioural problem.
I COMPLETELY AGREE! Vanity has turned to be an obsession! I noticed this trend with the dawn of social media (facebook etc); and the high demands put on self to update the feed with narcissistic trivia born from the fickle.
It’s all a bit like schizophrenia/body dysmorphia etc where people live a double life. You know… Who they want to be (Internet image) – and who they are (Reality).
I never liked having my picture taken long before it became a trend to take pictures of yourself everywhere you go. I just don’t see the appeal.
IMHO, a “healthy” selfie has to have an occasion that justifies it. Taking selfies as a routine sounds like a pointless habit that’s likely to annoy other people unless you’re so beautiful that other people crave to see you every single day lol.
probably people with low self esteem? or self obsessed ? recognition for their existence from others? what ever it is, it’s negative. it creates a doubt within yourself whether you are worthy or not amongst other people or friends. i think it’s attention seekers.